Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element which has an important role as a constituent of seleno-proteins involved in various physiological processes. Previous research in Irish adults suggests that intakes of this important nutrient are suboptimal. The aim of the present study was to estimate the current intakes and major food sources of Se by Irish adults. Mean daily intakes (MDIs) of Se were calculated using data from the National Adult Nutrition Survey which involved 1500 Irish adults aged 18–90 years. The Se content of foods and drinks consumed over a 4-d period was determined using data from the Irish Total Diet Study (TDS). Adequacy of Se intakes was assessed by calculating the proportion of the population with intakes below the adequate intake (AI) of 70 μg/d and lower reference nutrient intake of 40 μg/d (LRNI). The MDI of Se in the total population was 71⋅7 μg/d, with significantly higher intakes reported in men (80⋅2 μg/d) compared with women (63⋅4 μg/d, P < 0⋅01). Meat and meat products were the major contributing food group to Se intakes for both men (37 %) and women (31 %). Overall, 47 % of the population were not meeting the recommended AI, while 4 % of the total population were not meeting the LRNI. Although the average intake of Se is above the AI, a significant proportion of the population is not meeting this recommendation and continued monitoring of Se intakes is necessary, particularly by at-risk groups and also in the context of sustainability.

The childhood years represent a period of increased nutrient requirements during which a balanced diet is important to ensure optimal growth and development. The aim of this study was to examine food and nutrient intakes and compliance with recommendations in school-aged children in Ireland and to examine changes over time. Analyses were based on two National Children’s Food Surveys; NCFS (2003–2004) (n 594) and NCFS II (2017–2018) (n 600) which estimated food and nutrient intakes in nationally representative samples of children (5–12 years) using weighed food records (NCFS: 7-d; NCFS II: 4-d). This study found that nutrient intakes among school-aged children in Ireland are generally in compliance with recommendations; however, this population group have higher intakes of saturated fat, free sugars and salt, and lower intakes of dietary fibre than recommended. Furthermore, significant proportions have inadequate intakes of vitamin D, Ca, Fe and folate. Some of the key dietary changes that have occurred since the NCFS (2003–2004) include decreased intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice, milk and potatoes, and increased intakes of wholemeal/brown bread, high-fibre ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, porridge, pasta and whole fruit. Future strategies to address the nutrient gaps identified among this population group could include the continued promotion of healthy food choices (including education around ‘healthy’ lifestyles and food marketing restrictions), improvements of the food supply through reformulation (fat, sugar, salt, dietary fibre), food fortification for micronutrients of concern (voluntary or mandatory) and/or nutritional supplement recommendations (for nutrients unlikely to be sufficient from food intake alone).

Excess body fat is associated with the production of pro-inflammatory molecules from dysfunctional adipose tissue resulting in systemic inflammation. Inflammation stimulates expression of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin, resulting in elevated serum ferritin and iron overload in metabolic tissues. Hepcidin driven iron maldistribution may be implicated in the development of metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of body fat and the associated inflammation on markers of iron homeostasis.

Analyses were based on data from the cross-sectional National Adult Nutrition Survey (2008–2010) (www.iuna.net). Percentage body fat (BF%) of participants (n = 1211) was measured by a Tanita BC420MA device. Participants were classified as healthy, overweight or obese based on age and gender-specific BF% ranges. Serum ferritin and serum hepcidin were measured using immunoturbidimetric immunoassays. ANCOVA with Bonferroni post hoc (p < 0.05) was used to compare anthropometric parameters, biochemical markers of iron status and inflammation and nutrient intakes between BF% groups. Predictors of serum hepcidin and serum ferritin were determined using linear regression analysis.

In the population 42% were classified as healthy, 33% as overfat and 25% as obese. Serum hepcidin was significantly elevated in obese participants (8.42ng/ml ± 4.2) compared to their healthy counterparts (6.49ng/ml ± 3.9)(p < 0.001). Significantly higher serum ferritin was observed in obese (223ng/ml ± 170) and overfat males (166ng/ml ± 120) compared to healthy males (135ng/ml ± 91)(p < 0.001). A significant percentage of overweight (20%) and obese (32%) participants were at severe risk of iron overload compared to healthy participants (8%)(p < 0.001). No significant differences in dietary iron intakes were observed between BF% groups. Linear regression analysis indicated that BF% was a significant (p < 0.001) predictor of hepcidin in males (β = 0.327) and females (β = 0.226). IL-6 (β = 0.317,p < 0.001) and TNFα (β = 0.229,p < 0.001) were the strongest inflammatory predictors of hepcidin in females only. In males, leptin was a positive predictor (β = 0.159,p = 0.003) of hepcidin, while adiponectin displayed a negative predictive relationship (β = -0.145,p = 0.001)

Our results indicate that excessive adiposity is associated with elevated serum ferritin and hepcidin independent of dietary intake. Cytokines are a potential driver of hepcidin in females, with adipose-derived hormones seeming to have the greater effect in males. These results may help to elucidate the relationship between obesity and dysregulated iron metabolism. Further research is required to investigate the metabolic effects of hepcidin-induced iron overload in those with excess body fat.

Research suggests that food fussiness (FF) and food neophobia (FN) are two separate constructs. Food fussiness is the tendency to be selective about a large proportion of familiar and unfamiliar foods, while food neophobia is the refusal of novel foods. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the association between parental feeding practices and child's FF or FN.

Analysis was based on cross-sectional data from the nationally representative Irish National Children's Food Survey II (NCFSII; 2017–2018). The NCFSII collected detailed eating behaviour data from children aged 5–12 (n = 596) using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). This questionnaire contained four items from the food fussiness subscale that represented FN and two items that represented FF. The Feeding Practices & Structure Questionnaire (FPSQ) assessed non-responsive and structure-related parental feeding practices. Spearman's correlation established the association between parental feeding practices and child's FF and FN. Moderation analyses was conducted to explore the extent to which child's age moderates the association.

Higher levels of child's FN was weakly to moderately associated with higher parental reports of reward for eating (RE) (r = .210, p < 0.001), persuasive feeding (PF) (r = .340, p < 0.001), overt restriction (OR) (r = .195, p < 0.001) and lower reports of structured meal settings (SMS) (r = -.085, p = 0.039) and family meals (FMS) (r = -.387, p < 0.001). Higher levels of child's FF had a slightly stronger association with the same parental feeding as FN, with additional associations with structured meal timings (SMT) (r = -.089, p = 0.031) and covert restriction (CR) (r = -.083, p = 0.045). Age moderated the association between both child's FF [b = .22, p < 0.001] and FN [b = .17, p = 0.002] and parental reports of PF, along with moderating the association between child's FF [b = .11, p = 0.04] and parental reports of SMT.

Overall, child's FN and FF were both associated with higher levels of non-responsive feeding practices and lower reports of structure-related feeding practices, with child's FF associated with more parental feeding practices than FN. These findings suggest that it is important to address FN and FF as separate constructs, with more structure-related feeding practices inversely associated with higher levels of FF only. In addition, as children get older findings suggest that less parental feeding practices are utilised, however, higher levels of child's FF/FN are associated with similar levels of PF and SMT (FF only) regardless of age.

Being physically active is associated with fundamental health benefits and assists with the maintenance of normal weight in children. The current World Health Organizations’ recommendation is for children to accumulate 60 minutes of physical activity (PA) per day to obtain such benefits. Conversely, time spent in sedentary behaviours including watching screens (ST) are positively associated with the risk of overweight and obesity in young people. The aim of this research was to estimate PA levels and ST usage of Irish children and to examine the relationship with body fat.

This analysis was based on data collected from a nationally representative sample of Irish children aged 5–12-years (n = 591, 50% female) from The National Children's Food Consumption Survey II (www.iuna.net). The Child/Youth Physical Activity Questionnaires (C-PAQ/Y-PAQ) were used to measure PA and ST in 5–8 and 9–12-year-olds respectively. Both questionnaires were self-administered, recall instruments that assessed the frequency/duration of activities participated in over the previous 7-day period. The MET minutes (metabolic cost of the activity multiplied by the duration in minutes) of the PA's were calculated per child. Percentage body fat (%BF) was measured by a Tanita BC420MA device and participants were classified into categories based on their %BF, age and gender. Independent t-tests and ANOVA (post-hoc DunnettT-3) were used to assess differences between gender and %BF category.

Overall, children spent 93 mins/d being physically active with 69% meeting the > 1hr recommendation. There was a significant difference in the time spent undertaking PA between boys (99 mins/d) and girls (88 mins/d) p = 0.020. Children spent 107 mins/d watching screens with 68% meeting the < 2hr guidance. Girls spent significantly less time watching screens (89 mins/d) than boys (124 mins/d) p ≤ 0.001. Children who had a normal %BF accumulated more PA MET mins/day compared to those who were classified as obese, which was significant in the total population (p = 0.007), for boys (p ≤ 0.001), but not girls (p = 0.929).

This preliminary analysis indicates that a high proportion of Irish children are meeting the PA and ST recommendations, with boys being more physically active and spending more time watching screens compared to girls. However, results should be interpreted with caution as PA and ST usage were self-reported by participants. The association between PA MET minutes and %BF suggest that advice to encourage PA participation to combat excess adiposity in Irish children is justified. Future work should examine the role of other potential determinants of obesity in this cohort.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) have set target maximum daily salt intakes for children (4–6y: 3 g, 7–10y: 5 g, 11–14y: 6g) while the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have set Adequate Intakes (AI) for potassium of 1100mg/d, 1800mg/d and 2700mg/d for children of the same respective age groups. An individual's sodium to potassium (Na:K) intake ratio is an important predictor of hypertension and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a Na:K intake ratio of ≤ 1.0mmol/mmol for both adults and children. Although the morbidities associated with hypertension may not be seen until adulthood, blood pressure in childhood has a significant association with blood pressure in adulthood. Therefore, estimation of Na:K intake ratios (best measured by urinary excretion) in children may predict their susceptibility to hypertension related diseases in later life. The aim of this study was to estimate sodium and potassium intake and mean molar Na:K intake ratio of Irish children and to assess compliance with dietary guidance.

Morning spot urine samples were collected for 572 children aged 5–12 years (95% of total sample) as part of the nationally representative Irish National Children's Food Survey II (2017–2018) (NCFSII; www.iuna.net). Samples were transported, processed and stored using best practice procedures. Urinary excretion of sodium and potassium were measured using a Randox RX Daytona and were corrected for gender and age-specific 24-hour urine volume estimations based on 24-hour urine volume estimates from Australian children. SPSS Version 25 was used for all analyses.

Mean 24-hour urinary sodium excretion was 2018mg/d, equivalent to an average salt excretion of 5.0g/d exceeding the FSAI maximum target intake for all age groups except 11–12 year olds. Mean 24-hour urinary potassium excretion was 1411mg/d with mean intakes below the AI from EFSA for all age groups with the exception of 5–6 year olds. The mean molar Na:K ratio of Irish children was 2.8 for boys and 3.4 for girls. Only 5% of Irish children met the WHO recommendation for a Na:K ratio of ≤ 1.0mmol/mmol.

High intakes of sodium and low intakes of potassium reported in this study result in a low compliance with the WHO recommendation of a Na:K ratio ≤ 1.0mmol/mmol. This may lead to a higher risk of hypertension and related morbidities in later life. Based on these findings, dietary interventions to combat hypertension related diseases (such as lowering sodium and increasing potassium intakes) should be implemented from childhood.

Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 the usage of nutrition and health claims are permitted, however foods that are high in fat, sugars and salt are advised not to use such claims as foods promoted with these claims may influence consumer food choice. The use of nutrient profiles has been proposed as a means of avoiding the potential of such claims masking the overall nutritional status of a product. Ready to eat breakfast cereals (RTEBC) often display nutrition claims whilst also contributing significantly to total sugar and energy intake. The aim of this study was to profile a variety of RTEBC and compare nutrient composition and claim information between nutrient profile categories.

The Irish National Food Ingredient database (INFID) is a record of brand specific information from food labels collected during the Irish national food surveys. A convenience sub-sample of RTEBC as eaten by Irish children during the National Children's Food Survey 2 (2017/2018) were selected (n = 102). Nutrient profile (NP) scores were calculated using the UK Nutrient Profiling Model (FSA). NP scores were calculated based on a set of negative macronutrient indicators (energy, saturated fat, total sugars and sodium) minus positive indicators (protein, fibre, “fruit, vegetables and nuts”) present per 100 g. Foods scoring four points or more were classified as “less healthy”.

More than half of RTEBC were classed “less healthy” (53%) with a median NP score of 8.0 with “healthy” RTEBC scoring significantly lower at -0.0 (p < 0.001). “Healthy” RTEBC had a median sugar content of 13.4g/100 g compared to 24g/100 g in the “less healthy” (p < 0.001). “Healthy” RTEBC had a higher fibre content of 8.8g/100 g compared to 5.72g/100 g in the “less healthy” (p = 0.001), with 35% of healthy and 28% of less healthy RTEBC making a substantiated “high in fibre” claim. Micronutrient contents of all RTEBC were similar, with only iron significantly higher in “healthy” (13.3mg/100g) compared to “less healthy” (9.5mg/100g) (p = 0.02). The prevalence of substantiated micronutrient related claims was the same between “healthy” and “less healthy” RTEBC.

“Healthy” and “less healthy” RTEBC display similar micronutrient profiles, with most of the nutrition claims on both pertaining to the micronutrient and fibre content, potentially overshadowing the macronutrient contribution of the cereals. This analysis shows the ability of nutrient profiling to distinguish products by macronutrient profiles however it identifies the complexity of application with respect to micronutrient content. Further research is required to investigate the contribution of the profiled RTEBC to total nutrient intakes.